Clashes in Chechen Capital Leave at Least Seven Militants Dead

MOSCOW — At least seven militants were killed and three hospitalized with gunshot wounds after two clashes with special forces rocked the mountain republic of Chechnya over the weekend.

Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed leader of Chechnya, was overseeing the operations in person in a clear attempt to show he was in full control of the situation in a republic often described as his personal fief.

“Not a single devil will be able to leave Grozny if he came to it armed,” Mr. Kadyrov wrote on Sunday on Instagram, his usual means of communication with the public. “This was clearly proven over the last 24 hours.”

In the first shootout on Saturday night, a group of armed men attacked police officers in the middle of Grozny, the Chechen capital. Four of the gunmen were killed and two more hospitalized, Mr. Kadyrov said. A video taken by an onlooker showed several men firing at one another.

Another shootout occurred Sunday, when a special forces unit blocked a group of militants in a hilly, snowy field away from the capital. Seven militants were killed and four detained. It was not clear if the number included the casualties of the first encounter.

An experienced fighter, Mr. Kadyrov was giving his own orders during the operation, according to a video he posted.

The Caucasian Knot news agency said more shootouts occurred over the period and that four law enforcement officers were killed. The news agency also said at least three other such clashes occurred this year alone.

Mr. Kadyrov said nothing about police casualties. The motive for the attacks was unclear, but assaults on police officers can be proxies for attacks on government.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow has fought two wars to quell a separatist Muslim rebellion in Chechnya. With the support of President Vladimir V. Putin, Mr. Kadyrov has stabilized the region with an iron fist.

The Novaya Gazeta newspaper cited a high-ranking person saying, “This attack looks more like the first signs of a revolt against the Chechen government.”

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A8 of the New York edition with the headline: Rebels Battle With Police in Chechnya. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe